Quick answer
IUCN status: EndangeredSalmon-crested cockatoo at a glance
The Salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) is a bird in the family Psittacidae. Its IUCN Red List category is Endangered.
| Scientific name | Cacatua moluccensis |
|---|---|
| Indonesian name | Kakatua Maluku |
| Group | Birds |
| Family | Psittacidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Seram and Ambon, Maluku |
| Linked habitats | Tropical Rainforests |
| Diet | Berries, nuts, seeds, coconut, insects and their larvae |
| Range in Indonesia | Seram and Ambon; lost from Saparua and Haruku |
| Key feature | Pink-tinged white plumage, backward-curving salmon crest |
| Other names | Moluccan cockatoo, Seram cockatoo, kakatua Maluku |
| IUCN status | Endangered (2024 assessment) |
| Legal protection in Indonesia | Protected under ministerial regulation P.106/2018 |
| IUCN status | Endangered · IUCN Red List (via GBIF) · checked 25 September 2026 |
In this guide (10)
What is the salmon-crested cockatoo?
The salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) is a large cockatoo with pink-tinged white plumage and a long, backward-curving salmon crest. Mongabay Indonesia and Burung Indonesia give its length as about 46–52 cm. The underwings and undertail are yellowish-orange, the bill is grey-black, and the eye-ring is bluish-white.
BirdLife International notes that it is closely related to the white cockatoo (Cacatua alba) and has no subspecies. According to the World Parrot Trust, males have black eyes and females dark brown eyes.
Evidence: Mongabay Indonesia — Si Burung Cantik yang Terus Diburu (2015) ↗ · BirdLife International (DataZone) — Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis species factsheet ↗ · World Parrot Trust — Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗
Where does the salmon-crested cockatoo live?
The salmon-crested cockatoo lives only in southern Maluku: on Seram and Ambon, and formerly on Saparua and Haruku. BirdLife reports no recent records from Saparua or Haruku and only a small population on Ambon, so almost all remaining birds are on Seram, including Manusela National Park.
It lives in lowland rainforest up to 1,400 m. The highest densities have been found in unlogged primary forest below 180 m, and its numbers are linked to strangler figs and large nesting trees. In the buffer zone of Manusela National Park, cockatoos also feed in villagers' fruit gardens.
Evidence: BirdLife International (DataZone) — Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis species factsheet ↗ · IPB University Repository — Pengelolaan Daerah Penyangga Taman Nasional Manusela untuk Konservasi Kakatua Maluku (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗
What does the salmon-crested cockatoo eat?
The salmon-crested cockatoo eats berries, nuts, seeds, coconuts, and insects and their larvae, according to BirdLife International. The World Parrot Trust specifically mentions young coconut (Cocos nucifera) in its diet.
Most of its food comes from lowland forest, but it also visits villagers' fruit gardens right next to Manusela National Park. An IPB University study found that this habit leaves cockatoos in the buffer zone exposed to hunting, because the area outside the park is not well monitored.
Evidence: BirdLife International (DataZone) — Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis species factsheet ↗ · World Parrot Trust — Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗ · IPB University Repository — Pengelolaan Daerah Penyangga Taman Nasional Manusela untuk Konservasi Kakatua Maluku (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗
How does the salmon-crested cockatoo breed?
The salmon-crested cockatoo nests high in tree hollows and lays two eggs, with breeding starting around July–August, according to the World Parrot Trust. In the buffer zone of Manusela National Park, IPB University researchers found nests in four large tree species, including Pometia pinnata and Octomeles sumatrana, all over 50 cm in diameter and 15 m tall.
Outside the breeding season it can gather in groups of up to 16 birds; when breeding it is usually seen alone or in pairs. Like other cockatoos it is long-lived and slow to breed. BirdLife puts its generation length at 21.4 years, so recovery could take many decades.
Evidence: World Parrot Trust — Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗ · IPB University Repository — Pengelolaan Daerah Penyangga Taman Nasional Manusela untuk Konservasi Kakatua Maluku (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗ · BirdLife International (DataZone) — Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis species factsheet ↗
Why is the salmon-crested cockatoo endangered?
The salmon-crested cockatoo is endangered mainly because of heavy trapping for the pet trade, made worse by logging and clearing of lowland forest. BirdLife estimates a 50–79% decline since 1959. An estimated 74,509 birds were exported from Indonesia in 1981–1990, and at least 10,000 a year were taken from Seram in the 1980s.
Reported international trade fell to zero in the 1990s and the species is now on CITES Appendix I, but trapping for the domestic market, mainly supplying Java, continues. BirdLife estimates 20,000–62,000 mature birds (2023). In parts of Manusela National Park density has collapsed to 1.6 birds per km², against 15.28 at a strictly protected site.
Evidence: BirdLife International (DataZone) — Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis species factsheet ↗ · World Parrot Trust — Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗ · Mongabay — On an Indonesian island, an ancient ritual evolves to protect an endangered cockatoo (2026) ↗
How can the salmon-crested cockatoo be protected?
The salmon-crested cockatoo is protected under ministerial regulation P.106/2018, and Indonesian conservation law prohibits capturing or killing it. People can help by not buying cockatoos or their feathers, which were even found for sale online in 2024, and by reporting trade to the BKSDA. BKSDA Maluku releases seized birds, for example seven at Tanjung Sial, West Seram, in 2021.
Community action matters too. The Indigenous Huaulu people of Seram now use naturally shed feathers from rehabilitation centres and zoos for their Cidaku initiation ritual instead of hunting cockatoos. Burung Indonesia warns that wildlife trafficking and habitat loss must be tackled at the same time.
Evidence: JDIH Kemenko Infrastruktur — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (PDF) ↗ · Mongabay — On an Indonesian island, an ancient ritual evolves to protect an endangered cockatoo (2026) ↗ · Mongabay Indonesia — Satwa-satwa Ini Kembali Hidup Bebas di Pulau Seram (2021) ↗
Explore related habitats
These habitat relationships are supported by species sources in this guide. This is not a complete range map.
Common questions about the Salmon-crested cockatoo
What is the scientific name of the Salmon-crested cockatoo?
The scientific name of the Salmon-crested cockatoo is Cacatua moluccensis, in the family Psittacidae. In Indonesian it is called Kakatua Maluku.
Where can the Salmon-crested cockatoo be found in Indonesia?
In Indonesia, this guide records the Salmon-crested cockatoo in: Seram and Ambon, Maluku.
Source-supported habitats: Tropical Rainforests.
What does the Salmon-crested cockatoo eat?
Diet of the Salmon-crested cockatoo: berries, nuts, seeds, coconut, insects and their larvae.
What is the conservation status of the Salmon-crested cockatoo?
On the IUCN Red List, the Salmon-crested cockatoo is listed as Endangered: it is considered to face a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Source: IUCN Red List (via GBIF), checked 25 September 2026.
This global category is separate from legal protection in Indonesia. To check whether the Salmon-crested cockatoo is a protected species, consult the current national list of protected species or contact the local BKSDA (natural resources conservation office).
Sources & references
- BirdLife International (DataZone) — Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis species factsheet ↗
- Mongabay Indonesia — Si Burung Cantik yang Terus Diburu (2015) ↗
- World Parrot Trust — Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗
- IPB University Repository — Pengelolaan Daerah Penyangga Taman Nasional Manusela untuk Konservasi Kakatua Maluku (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗
- Mongabay — On an Indonesian island, an ancient ritual evolves to protect an endangered cockatoo (2026) ↗
- Mongabay Indonesia — Satwa-satwa Ini Kembali Hidup Bebas di Pulau Seram (2021) ↗
- JDIH Kemenko Infrastruktur — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (PDF) ↗
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, version 2026-1, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0) ↗
References can change. Check dates and context in the original source.
Further reading
Cockatoo: facts, threats and conservation ↗ — World Animal Rescue Network. A broader overview that covers this animal.
Cite this page
PanduanHewan. (2026, 25 September). Salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis). PanduanHewan.org. https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/salmon-crested-cockatoo/